Canucks and Beyond

Entries with the tag: kevin bieksa

Defenceman Kevin Bieksa has agreed to terms on a new contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

The length and value of the deal are not yet known.

The 30-year-old Bieksa has spent all six of NHL seasons with the Canucks since entering the league in 2005-06.

Update 12:00pm PT: Still awaiting terms, but there is this note from Nick Kypreos: “Heard at the draft the cap hit for Bieksa in Van would be around 4.7M on a long term deal but not confirmed right now.”

Q. How does this compare with the gold medal final in terms of what you’ve talked about, this process, 82 games, and how this is a different stage? Can you compare them?

RYAN KESLER: It’s tough, you know, we played 82 games before we got in the playoffs, the Olympics were two weeks and it seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. The game itself, you know, has some similarities, but it’s tough to compare the two.

Q. Can you enjoy the moment? They were talking about trying to enjoy the day, but obviously you’re nervous, but just soaking it in?

RYAN KESLER: It’s all about enjoying the day. Every day you don’t wake up playin’ for the Cup, Game 7. You know, it’s awesome.

Pierre LeBrun reminded me today of the story of how Kevin Bieksa found himself signed by Brian Burke of the Vancouver Canucks back in 2004.

Here’s Burke’s story (which I originally posted on this page back in 2007):

“He’s in there, having a good time, and he bumps the table of another of our kids, Fedor Fedorov. [...] Well, one thing leads to another, and Fedorov, a pretty good-sized kid [6 foot 3 inches, 230 pounds], asks Bieksa if he wants to take it outside. So, Bieksa’s a willing kid, and says, ‘Sure, let’s go!’”

Out to the parking lot the two went, and according to Burke, Bieksa KO’d the bigger Fedorov with one punch.

“Down and out!” recalled Burke. “The next day, I’m talking to [assistant GM Steve Tambellini], and I guess Bieksa was all worried about it, saying to Tamby, “Oh, geez, I’m all done, Burkie’s going to be really [steamed], I show up and knock out one of his own guys.’ I listen to Tamby and I say, ‘Are you kidding me? I love that. Sign him—today!’

Sorry to get this up so late. Here’s the transcript of the Q&A from Thursday’s practice day with Ryan Kesler, Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis

Q. ?
DAN HAMHUIS: It’s something we thought we could be better at. I think so far we’ve done a good job.

Q. What did you think of Kevin’s game last night?
DAN HAMHUIS: I thought it was awesome. He’s been playing really well for us all season. Stepped it up all playoffs. Last night, really seeing some results of the work he’s been putting in. But he’s been playing like that the whole time.

With their teammates sitting comfortable in their oversized seats and undoubtedly snacking aboard the Vancouver Canucks’ charter plane, off in the distance Kevin Bieksa, Raffi Torres and Keith Ballard could be seen hoofing it double-time through the internationals level at Vancouver International Airport.

The three Canucks were hustling through the airport alongside the day’s other travellers, rather than entering through the cordoned-off area like the players before them.

And they can thank Vancouver’s public transit system for getting them there in the nick of time. Without it, Bieksa, Torres and Ballard would have surely missed the flight to Nashville, where Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series goes Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena.

Millionaire athletes on the SkyTrain. Only in the NHL.

NHLers taking the SkyTrain? See, they’re just like you! (Well, “you” but wiith $9 million bucks in their combined bank accounts…)

“Any team with human excrement like Burrows deserves a beating of the greatest magnitude. Go St. Louis!! I may not be a fan but any team is better than the Vancouver No Cups and their trashy lineup of scabs, overpaid Europeans, and greasy haired oft injured goalies.”

How can anyone not love the internet hockey world? Where else can you find such unbridled hatred and borderline psychosis on display? Quite entertaining. And while the remarks are largely nonsensical (“scabs”??), it’s easy to see what motivated the rant.

While watching the Canucks—Blues game last night, one of the least-charitable exclamations that I shared with the room in the third period was: “Wow. This is amazing. It’s the playoffs and we’re the ones with the dirty team!”

(Inbox) Kevin Bieksa— Last heard on November 13, Bieksa was due for two week layoff as he nursed a hairline fracture in his foot. The estimation was accurate as there’s a realistic chance he’s back in the lineup for Thursday against the Flames.

(Inbox) Alexandre Bolduc— came up from Manitoba yesterday. 8 goals and a plus-8 thus far, he’s supposedly practicing with the team this morning.

(Outbox) Ryan Johnson & Steve Bernier— Johnson’s injury is from (what else?) blocking a shot (or 50) a couple games ago, and Bolduc is on deck for him. Bernier’s damage is the result of running into the boards the other night instead of Brett Lebda. Bernier’s explanation:

According to Bernier, he was injured when he snagged his right foot on the Detroit net and was thrown off balance trying to thump Lebda, causing him to miss.

“I lost my footing and I went shoulder and feet first into the boards,” he said. “After that, I didn’t feel very well.”

Slapstick comedy at its finest. (Well, except for the emergency medical care required.)

Update 12:33pm PT: Johnson gets two fractures for the price of one. If you don’t want more bad news, don’t click.

The Canucks will be without their top defenceman for at least two weeks.

Early Thursday, an X-ray revealed Bieksa has a hairline fracture on his foot. He was hurt when his teammate Michel Ouellet wired a slap shot off his left foot in a game against Nashville. Bieksa has played three games since then.

Yesterday, J.J. at Canucks Hockey Blog was pondering the wisdom of possibly trading away a defenseman, and remarked:

Also, the Canucks have depth on defense right now, but admittedly, they’ve been lucky and relatively injury-free to start the season. Can they stay that way?

They say preseason doesn’t mean anything but don’t tell that to the Canucks, who are undefeated so far in the preseason after five games with two remaining on their schedule. While the games aren’t worth points or standings, the wins don’t hurt and going into the regular season with some confidence can only be encouraging, especially after a summer of change and many skeptics.

Skeptics? Us? Well, sure. It’s what we do, after all. Still, last night’s thrashing of Miika and the Flames was a pleasure to behold, so fans should enjoy the winning streak while it lasts. Pre-season or not, I’ll take my happy moments wherever I can get them and tonight’s game will be online at Canucks.com at 7pm Pacific. (Update: Game feed will be available directly at this link starting at 6:55 pm PT)

Meanwhile, what about those “Kevin Bieksa and Taylor Pyatt to Boston for Marc Savard” rumors?

Having been out of touch with the hockey news since late Thursday night, I hauled a copy of the Vancouver Sun into a breakfast diner off Granville this morning, ready to enjoy the whiplash effect of excessive optimism that the 6-2 win over Nashville last game was surely having on Vancouver fans and writers (lose a game? armageddon. win a game? salvation…).

But the hockey news isn’t always utterly predictable in Vancouver, and they turned the tables on me.

“I know I’m going to be out for a long time and miss a big chunk of the season so it’s been tough emotionally,” said Bieksa, the Canucks’ best blue-liner a year ago when he collected 42 points. “Physically, I’ve been lucky in that I haven’t had too much pain since maybe four or five days after the surgery.”

Bieksa received stitches both inside and outside the leg - they come out Thursday - and will wear a hard cast for four to six weeks at which time he will be re-assessed. He was told the surgery wasn’t considered major, even though the injury is.

There’s some discussion in the article about the possibility that the thinner socks being worn this season may have worsened the impact of Bieksa’s injury. It’s only speculation, but still a disturbing consideration.

“It could be months not weeks” is how Bieksa’s prognosis is now being described.

Bieksa was originally expected to miss eight weeks after sustaining a deep cut on his right calf from the skate of Predators’ forward Vernon Fiddler during the Canucks 3-0 loss to Nashville November 1st. That cut that was deeper than the Canucks initially thought.

The lower leg injury to defenceman Kevin Bieksa is more serious than originally believed, but Vancouver Canucks general manager Dave Nonis emphasized Sunday that the player’s Achilles tendon did not require repair on Friday.

A 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. And while others will likely object, I thought it was a brilliant performance.

First Act: The Canucks are competent and steady, earning a 2 goal lead.Second Act: The Canucks are replaced by characters from the movie “Dazed & Confused.”

This is followed by coach Alain Vigneault hyperventilating foul language inside the Canucks’ dressing room—until spittle has sprayed down the front of his $1,200 Italian suit and he develops a twitch—which leads to…